You know how they have the different types of GI Joes? The Commander GI Joe, the trench attack GI Joe, the secret spy GI Joe. They have the same for Barbies too. Ballerina Barbie, Ball Room Barbie, Dress down Barbie. Well I’m proposing the Dr. Pepper Don Bosco.
I had the pleasure of witnessing a Salesian priest do something amazing a few weeks ago. It at first seemed ridiculous to me the amount of effort he was making to love this person, and then I realized, yeah, it is ridiculous. To show that much love to some is ridiculous and so incredible that I felt like I was in the presence of Don Bosco. This priest was entertaining some people for a vocations weekend. At dinner there was one guy who really liked Dr. Pepper, and the guys at the house happened to bring home some Dr. Pepper that night. The priest pointed it out to the young man and said he should have some. The young man of course obliged. Then the priest said to him, “you know it’s been so long since I’ve had Dr. Pepper and I have a craving for it. Let me join you.” I thought at this point, ‘he does not want any Dr. Pepper.’ That’s when I realized how amazing this was. This priest was genuinely interested in whatever the young man was interested in. His true feelings didn’t matter (although I’m sure the guy doesn’t mind cokes), what mattered most was loving that young man. The guy came to pour him some Dr. Pepper, and the Salesian said, “Oh no, you first.”
This was a fine display for me of how to love unconditionally, to love as Jesus loved, and to die to your own desires, to die to yourself.
